Trouble upshifting

[semimojo]

I've got a little problem. I'm embarrassed to talk about it, but I really need some help.

 

It seems that my Gear Shift Assistant Pro is capable of upshifting fairly smoothly with a mere nudge of the shifting lever without engaging the clutch. The transition from second to third can be a little rough at low speeds, but the other gears all shift as smooth as butter. My problem is that I can't seem to manage the same thing nearly as smoothly when upshifting with the clutch. I miss the shift at least half of the time! Yes, half!

 

What am I doing wrong? I pull in the clutch lever, knock up the shift lever, and sometimes I'll advance to the next gear, but just as often, I won't, and I find myself revving madly in the gear I was trying to depart from.

 

It can't be that difficult. But it, in fact, seems to be. Is there some special technique involved?

 

It's been 11 years since I had a bike. I thought at first that maybe I just forgot how to shift. But I never had any shifting difficulty with any of my previous bikes, not even my first one. They all shifted as smooth as butter compared to this R 1200 RT. What am I doing wrong?

[Tri750]

From the BMW press release:

 

The BMW Gear Shift Assistant Pro, available as a factory option, represents a world first for production motorcycle manufacture. It enables upshifts and downshifts to be made without operation of the clutch or throttle valve in the proper load and rpm speed ranges while riding.>

 

No clutch, leave the throttle in one position.

[davagail]

On earlier RT it was beneficial to load the shift lever before shifting. Not sure on new one but maybe worth a try. My 09 shift smooth as can be when done that way

[dirtrider]

Morning semimojo

 

It might be you OR might be the bike.

 

SO--

 

After your last shift (either up of down) try completely removing your foot from under/over the shift lever (maybe your foot is inadvertently not allowing the shift lever to return to center)

 

Possibly it is your riding boot to foot lever angle not allowing the lever to lift COMPLETELY on the shift so (try different boots & try lifting the shift lever up farther & firmer on the up-shift)

 

If you are putting your foot UNDER the shift lever then maybe try up-shifting using the edge of your boot sole on the outer end of the shift lever for up-shifting (some riding boots are just too thick to properly go under the shift lever)

 

If all above fails then try a more firm & farther foot travel on the up-shift (maybe you are not moving the shift lever FULL TRAVEL in the "up" direction).

 

If you still have a shifting issue then have your selling dealer take a look at it for you. Maybe there is something wrong with the shift lever linkage or shifter adjustment.

[strataj]

I totally agree with DR. I believe he identified your issue

 

another poster talked about preload, that worked great on my 02 RT but not on the 14 with shift assist, it's enough force to change gears.

 

Jay

[semimojo]

Thanks for those suggestions, DR.

 

I always wear motorcycle boots when I ride now. They are TCX Air Techs that I bought when I bought the bike. Years ago, I always wore sneakers, but I'm determined now to wear well-designed protective gear all the time when I ride.

 

The boots are not too bulky, as motorcycle boots go, but they are a bit taller in the toe area than regular shoes. I also can't feel the shifter very well through the boot. I'm going to pay attention to my foot placement and contact with the shift lever, and try some foot different positions, as you suggest.

 

I never have trouble downshifting, btw. It's just upshifting, so that lends credence to the foot position or lever contact idea.

 

I'll be taking the bike in to my dealer for the 6000 mile maintenance soon. I'll ask them to check out the lever if I haven't got this worked out by then.

[PadG]

One other thing that I have noticed is that the bike likes you to be accelerating for the upshift. If, for an example, you are running at a constant speed and decide that you want to be in higher gear, you may have problems with shifting without using the clutch!

[semimojo]

I have problems upshifting even when accelerating hard, PadG, which is the source of my "screaming RPMs in last-moment's gear" problem.

 

Inexplicably, sometimes everything just works right, and upshifts happen like I want them to. Usually, these good times happen when I'm driving in a semi-aggressive, semi-relaxed mode on empty back-country roads in the middle of nowhere. No pressure. Maybe everything works more predictably when I'm not in hyper-vigilant cager-wary city-driving mode.

[PadG]

I have problems upshifting even when accelerating hard, PadG, which is the source of my "screaming RPMs in last-moment's gear" problem.

 

Inexplicably, sometimes everything just works right, and upshifts happen like I want them to. Usually, these good times happen when I'm driving in a semi-aggressive, semi-relaxed mode on empty back-country roads in the middle of nowhere. No pressure. Maybe everything works more predictably when I'm not in hyper-vigilant cager-wary city-driving mode.

There must be something wrong then! Guess, it's back to the dealer!